Year of the Comet
Comet C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS)

PANSTARRS information

Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)

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Web Extras

Astronomers explore magnetar mega-flare

A neutron star's massive 2004 outburst is giving astronomers an inside view on these superdense objects.
By Francis Reddy
Published: September 22, 2006
The wave had traveled for 50,000 years, and on December 27, 2004, it swept over Earth. That's when satellites detected the brightest outburst beyond our solar system ever recorded. The original explosion gave off more energy in a tenth of a second than the Sun emits in 100,000 years.
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